Council Members Step Aside During Emotional Meeting

LAGUNA BEACH —  The City Council said goodby Tuesday to two longtime council members during an emotional ceremony that included installation of recently elected officials and selection of a new mayor.

Stepping down were Neil G. Fitzpatrick and Martha Collison, both of whom chose not to run for reelection. Fitzpatrick had been on the council since 1980 and served three terms as mayor. Collison was elected in 1984 and had been mayor once.

Before relinquishing her seat, Collison, who had often gone to bat for local business and property owners, took a swipe at the city’s controversial Design Review Board, which she said has strayed too far from its original purpose.

“If this city thinks we don’t have a problem with Design Review, then their heads are in the sand,” Collison said. “Architecture in a city is very important, but the people are important, too.”

Collison received a standing ovation after her comments.

Seated in their places were former planning commissioners Kathleen Blackburn and Wayne L. Peterson, who were victorious over six other candidates in the November election.

Councilwoman Lida Lenney was unanimously selected by her colleagues as mayor, replacing Robert F. Gentry. Councilwoman Ann Christoph was voted in as mayor pro tem.

While some say Blackburn and Peterson are more sympathetic to the rights of property owners than the council majority has been, their election is not likely to shift city politics because, when opinions differed on the council in recent years, Fitzpatrick and Collison were most likely to cast the dissenting votes anyway.

Before the council meeting Tuesday, Fitzpatrick said he is proud of the amount of open space acquired by the city during his 12 years as councilman. He credited the community itself with the accomplishment.